Reminder attachment for semaphore-signals.



No. 648,8. Patented May I,' I900.

c. n. sTovALL. REMINDER ATTACHMENT FOB SEMAPHURE SIGNALS.

- 28heats-Sheet I.

(la Modal.)

I v KE/ T R I 4 /4 7 No; 648,8". Patented May I, l900..

- G. D. STUVALL.

REMINDER ATTACHMENT FOR SE MAPHOBE SIGNALS.-

A i umion'med D60. 11, 1899.)

2 Sheets-Shoat 2 (Nu incl.)

warns wz'rzns 60v. Puorourna, wsumarou. b, c.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

COLUMBUS D. STOVALL, OF HIGHLAND, ILLINOIS.

REMINDER ATTACHMENT FOR SEMAPHORE-SIGNALS SPECIFICATION forming part ofLetters Patent No. 648,811, dated May 1, 1900.

Application filed December 11, 1899. Serial No. 739.864. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, COLUMBUS D. STOVALL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Highland, in the county of Madison and State of Illinois,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ReminderAttachments for Semaphore-Signals, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, forming part of this specification.

My invention relates to an attachment to be used in connection with theoperating-levers of semaphore-signals to obviate the liability of theoperator overlooking the delivery of train-orders.

My invention consists in features of novelty hereinafter fullydescribed, and pointed out in the claims.

Figure I is a perspective view of the operating-levers that connect withthe semaphoresignal and my improvedappliance shown in connectiontherewith. Fig. II is an enlarged View, in front elevation, of the frameand locking-bars of my appliance. Fig. III is a vertical sectional viewtaken on line III III, Fig. II. Fig. IVis an enl. rged sectional viewtaken on line IV IV, Fig. I.

In the use of semaphore-signals the signal is located beside therailway-track and the operating device is commonly located in theoperators room, the pull-cords of such device being located withinconvenient reach from the operators table. It is the custom for theoperator to manipulate the signal-operating device while in his room inorder to give the necessary signals to the trainmen as provided for.Itnot infrequently happens, however, that the operator neglects, throughoversight, to deliver to trainmen orders that he may have received forthem, with the result that delays and serious accidents are occasionedfrom his oversight, and it is the object of my invention to provide asafety device or reminder through the medium of which the attention ofthe operator is directed to the orders he has to deliver.

1 designates levers pivoted at 2 t0 the wall of the room in which theyare located. Connected to these levers are cords 3, that lead tosemaphore-signal arms, so that movement of the levers will causemovement of said arms. Connected to the free ends of the lebar 8. Therod 9 is preferably provided with a weight 10 at its lower end and atits upper end is fitted in a socket 11.

12 designates rocking bars pivoted at 13 to the frame 6 and joined tothe vertical rod 9 by pivot-links 14. The lower ends of the rocking bars12 are formed into hooks 15, that are adapted to enter openings 6 in theframe 6 (see Fig. II) and enter the guide-slots 7 in said frame.

16 designates a pull-cord secured at 17 to the sliding rod 9, said cordpassing over pulleys 18 and 19 and being provided withahandle 20, havingan apertured end 21.

22 is a bracket fixed to the wallof the room and provided with apertures23.v

When the parts are in their normal position, the signal operating levers1 are retained in a horizontal position byreason of the weight of thesignal-arms connected thereto, and the levers bear against the frame 6at the upper ends of the guide-slots 7, as seen in Fig. I. When theoperator is athis table, he has need of a stylus or pencil in carryingon his work, and it is my intention that this pencil or stylus beutilized as a means for holding the signal-operating-lever-holding barsfree from the levers when no train-orders are in hand for delivery,thereby leaving the signal-operating levers free to be manipu lated.

When the operator has no order in his possession to be delivered to thetrainmen of a train that is approaching his station, it is intended thatthe stylus or pencil Abe inserted in the bracket 22 through theapertured end 21 of the handle 20 to hold the handle thereto. In puttingthe stylus or pencil into this position the handle 20 is drawn to thebracket, in which movement the pull-cord 16 draws the vertical rod 9upwardly and through the Ice medium of the links 14 throws the upperends of the rocking bars 21 outwardly and the lower ends of said barsinwardly, thereby removing the hooks 15 from the guide-slots 7 in theframe 6. With the hooks 15 removed from the guide-slots thesignal-operating levers 1 are left free to move in the guide-slots, sothat the operator may move them by grasping the handles 5 of thepull-cords 4 to give signals to the trainmen of an approaching trainthat the track is safe and that he has no orders for them. Should,however, the operator receive an order for an approaching train, heremoves the stylus or pencil A from the bracket 22 to write the order,thereby freeing the handle 20 from the bracket and permitting the rod 9to move downwardly and move the upper ends of the rocking bars 12downwardly and the lower ends outwardly, thereby carrying the hooks 15into the guide-slots 7, beneath the operating-levers 1. When the hooksare in such position, they engage beneath the signal-operating leversand hold them from movement until the hooks are retracted by a downwardpull upon the cord 16. Now it will be seen that when the operatorremoves the stylus or pencil from the bracket 22 to write the order hehas received for the approaching train he frees the pull-cord 1G in themanner described and locks the signal-operating levers against movement.On hearing or seeing the approaching train he grasps the handle 5 of theproper pull-cord t to manipulate the signal-operating lovers 1 and throwthe signal-arm into position indicating safety for the train. Inattempting to pull the lever 1 downwardly he finds that it is lockedagainst movement by reason of the engagement therewith of the hooks 15,and the result is that he is reminded that he has received an order forthe train and he delivers it to the trainmen instead of forgetting to doso and replaces the stylus or pencil in the bracket and pull-cord handleand then operates the freed levers 1 to throw the signalarm into safetyposition.

I claim as my invention 1. In a device of the class described, thecombination with a pair of signal-operating levers, of a frame havingguide-slots through which said levers extend, means carried by saidframe adapted to engage andsupport said levers, and means for holdingsaid leverengaging means normally out of engagement with the levers,substantially as described.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination with a pairof signal-operating levers, of a frame having guide-slots through whichsaid levers extend, a pair of rocking bars having hooks adapted toengage and support said levers, and means for moving said rocking bars;substantially as de-- scribed.

3. In a device of the character described," the combinatioin with a pairof signal-operating levers, of a frame having guide-slots through whichsaid levers extend, a pair of rocking bars, means for moving said rock-1ng bars, and hooks carried by said rocking bars adapted to be throwninto said guideslots and engage and support said signal-op-- cratinglevers; substantially as described.

at. In a device of the character described,

the combination with a pair of signal-operating levers,.of a framehaving guide-slots adapted to receive said levers, a pair of rock-- ingbars pivoted. to said frame, hooks carried by said rocking bars adaptedto enter said guide-slots and engage said signal-operating levers, asliding rod mounted in said frame and having connection to said rockingbars, a pull-cord attached to said sliding rod, an apertured handlecarried by said pull-cord, and an apertured bracket adapted to receivesaid handle and a stylus or pencil for holding the handle to thebracket, substantially as described;

COLUMBUS D. STOVALL.

In presence of E. S. KNIGHT, M. P. SMITH.

